A Flushing man is being held without bail after he was criminally charged with first-degree murder, assault and arson for allegedly stabbing his mother-in-law to death before slashing and stabbing her teenage son nearly two dozen times, before ultimately torching the home they lived in.
Wei Sheng Chen, 27, of Smart Street, was also charged with attempted murder and weapons possession during his Oct. 7 arraignment in Queens Criminal Court. If convicted of the top count, Chen faces up to life in prison.
According to the charges and investigation, Chen shares a family residence at 45-18 Smart St. with his wife, her mother, and her brother. On Thursday, Oct. 2, between approximately 3:50 p.m. and 4 p.m., Chen allegedly stabbed his 50-year-old mother-in-law, Qui Jin Shi, multiple times in the torso and arms with a knife. He then allegedly stabbed his 17-year-old brother-in-law in the face, chest, back, and head with the knife. Chen allegedly used alcohol to set fires in three locations on the first floor of the home.
According to the charges, police from the 109th Precinct in Flushing responded to a 911 call of an assault in progress and found the first floor ablaze. The FDNY responded to the location and extinguished the blaze, and discovered the two victims. EMS rushed the mother to New York-Presbyterian Queens Hospital, where she was listed in critical condition. She later succumbed to her injuries and was pronounced dead. The 17-year-old was also transported to New York-Presbyterian Queens Hospital, where he was listed in stable condition. He was treated for approximately 20 stab and slash wounds throughout his body, including wounds to his neck, back, and abdomen, as well as a deep slash wound to the back of his head, and one from his eyelid to the middle of his cheek. All of his injuries required more than 100 staples and stitches.
Crime scene investigators later recovered two knives.
“As alleged, this defendant murdered his mother-in-law, repeatedly stabbed his teenage brother-in-law, and set three fires in his multigenerational home,” Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz said. Defendant Wei Sheng Chen is now facing murder and arson charges that carry a potential life sentence.”
Queens Criminal Court Judge Glenda Hernandez remanded Chen into custody without bail. He faces up to life in prison if convicted.
“Our thoughts are with the family of Qui Jin Shi as we pursue justice for the victims in this case,” Katz said.
